Whistling musical instrument.



1.]. STANTON.

WHISTLING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED IULYIB, 19M.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IIVI/E/VTOR John airmen /J"Zani071/ WITNESSES A TTORNEIS J. J. STANTON.

WHISTLING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULYlB, 1914.

1, 173,054. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A TTURNEYS JOHN JAMES STANTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WHISTLING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed July 18, 1914. Serial No. 851,730.

T 0 all whom it may concern Beit known that I, JoHN JAMES STANTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, \Vest New Brighton, borough of Richmond, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved \Vhistling Musical Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to pneumatic musical instruments known as calliopes.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact musical instrument in which the strength of the tones may be varied by varying the pressure of the air supplied. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views and wherein- Figure l is a plan View of the instrument showing the same connected to the air tank; Fig. 2 is a section on line 22, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a section through a valve.

Referring to the drawings, 4 represents an air chamber formed of tubular members 5, 6, 7 and 8 forming together a rectangular frame. The tubular member 5 is connected to tubular members 7 and 8 by means of elbows 9, while tubular member 6 is connected to tubular members 7 and 8 by T members 10, one end of which is reduced and forms the inlet to the chamber 4. Swinging on the members 7 and 8 is a pair of T members 11. Each of the T members 11 is provided with a stem 12, the free end of which is adapted to engage a socket 13 provided on the support 14 whereby the air chamber 4 is properly supported.

The tubular members 7 and 8 of the air chamber 4 are so engaged by the T members 11 that the said chamber is inclined with reference to the horizontal plane, and the tubular member 5 is above the tubular member 6. The tubes 5 and 6 are provided with a series of air valves 15 controlled by a button 16. Engaging each of the valves 15 are whistles 17, or any other means which will produce musical sounds under the action of the air escaping therethrough. By inclining the air chamber 4, as stated, the tubular member 5 will clear the way for the whistles 17 carried by the tubular member 6. The valves 15 are so positioned as to be maintained against their seats by the pressure of the air in the chamber 4; but, in addition, each valve is provided with a light spring 18 tending also to seat the valve. The series of valves 15 on the tubes 5 and 6 is so arranged as to form the chromatic scale thereon by means of the whistles engaging the said valves. By a simple shift of the said whistles, the instrument may be changed from the international pitch to the concert pitch. By eliminating the whistle A and substituting therefor the whistle A#, then replacing the whistle A#: with the whistle B, and the whistle B with the whistle C, and the whistle C with the whistle C#, etc., the concert pitch will be changed to the international pitch.

The air is supplied to the chamber 4 from an air tank 19 by means of flexible connections 20. The air tank 19 is adapted to contain air under about two hundred pounds pressure, which may be pumped thereinto through a check valve 21. The air tank is preferably provided witha pressure indicator 22. A reducing valve 23 is provided between the flexible connection 20 and the air tank 19. By means of the reducing valve 23, the air from the tank can be supplied to the air chamber at any pressure below that in the tank. Thus, different intensities of sounds can be obtained by means of the whistles 17. Furthermore, by providing the reducing valve 23, the size of the air tank 19 can be greatly reduced, as the air in the tank is stored under high pressure and will last for a very long time, as the same is used at low pressure.

It will be noted that in my device there is no special keyboard, as the equivalent thereof is formed bv the arrangement of the valve button 16. The intensity of the sound produced by the whistle can be varied by varying the pressure of the air supply to the air chamber from the air tank by means of the reducing valve, as has been previously stated.

The provision of the swinging T-members 11 on the tubular members 7 and 8 permits the folding of the stem 12 under the air chamber 4 when the instrument is to be transported or is not in use. thus making the instrument collapsible and reducing the bulk of the same to a great extent during transportation. The support 14 can also be taken apart by removing the diverging le s of the support from the sockets 13. It will also be noted that the valves 15 are so arranged that if any of the valves break the air pressure within the chamber 4 will keep the valve on its seat and, therefore, it will not interfere with the sounds produced by the other whistles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a musical instrument, the combination of an air chamber, Whistles connected to said chamber, a valve between the chamber and each whistle having a controlling button for operating the same, said buttons being so arranged as to form the equivalent of a keyboard, tank for compressed air,

and pressure-reducing means controllingthe supply of air from the tank to the chamber.

2. In a musical instrument, a rectangular tubular frame, valve-controlled whistles connected to the tubes forming the sides of the frame, a tank for compressed air, and pressure reducing means for controlling the supply of air from the tank to the tubular frame.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination of a tubular frame rectangular in shape,

valve-controlled Whistles connected to the tubular frame, a support for the frame, a tank for compressed air, and a reducing valve controlling the supply of air from the tank to the tubular frame.

4. In a musical instrument, the combination of a tubular frame rectangular in shape, valve controlled Whistles connected to the tubular frame, T-shaped members rotatably mounted on the smaller sides of the frame, a stem carried by each of said T-shaped members, supporting means adapted to engage the stems, a tank for compressed air, and a reducing valve controlling the supply of air to the tubular frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing" witnesses.

JOHN JAMES STANTON. Witnesses PERCIVAL MnAGI-IEM, THOMAS LARSEN.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

